Paper towel dispenser



May 12, 1959 G. x. BATLAS ET AL PAPER TOWEL DISPENSER Filed March 12, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (Flix .il .llillnllr IN V EN TOR.

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MM www W G. x. BATLAS ET AL 2,886,226 PAPER TOWEL DISPENSER May l2, 1959 2 Sheets-sheet 2 FiledvMaroh 12, 1956 4,4 F26 'f'fzo/e w www m ma. A? A 3. xm. WNY :m3 i f Ml 3. Y E llllL M United States Patent() PAPER TOWEL DISPENSER George X. Batlas, Astoria, and Emmanuel New York, N.Y.

' Application March 12, 1956, Serial No. 571,017

13 Claims. (Cl. 22S- 106) N. Pantazis, y

device of unique simplicity in construction and operation Y.

and capable of delivering individual lengths of paper toweling from a continuous strip or web of the latter.

Another object is to provide a dispensing device that 'is adapted, at the will of the user, to deliver either single predetermined lengths of paper toweling from a continuous strip of the latter or multiple lengths of the toweling.

A further object is to provide a paper towel dispenser that is trouble-free in operation and that requires a minimum of maintenance so that itis adapted for installation in public rest rooms and the like where hard usage, and even abuse, may be anticipated.

Still another object is to provide a device for dispensing single or separated lengths of paper toweling from a continuous perforated strip of the latter, and wherein operation of the device is effected by exerting a continuous and relatively small pulling force upon a projecting end of the strip, whereby the dispensing operation results from a normal or rational action of the user, so that there is no need for the latter to refer to instructions printed, or otherwise appearing, on the dispensing device l to learn the manner in which operation is to be effected.

A still further object is to provide a paper towel dispenser operated by exerting a pull on a projecting end of a strip of paper toweling, and wherein the operating characteristics are such as to permit the exertion of the required pull with wet handswithout causing tearing or premature separation of the paper toweling strip.

, An aspect of the present invention resides in the provision of a dispenser for lengths of paper toweling dened between spaced apart, laterally extending lines of perforations in a continuous rolled or folded strip of paper toweling, which dispenser includes a dispensing roll and a pressure roll between which the continuous strip of paper toweling is passed, so that, as the free or projecting end of the paper toweling strip is pulled from the dispenser, the dispensing roll is rotated, and a cam and spring-urged follower mechanism associated with the dispensing roll to momentarily arrest rotation of the latter at the end of an operating cycle, that is, when a length tiff of paper toweling has been advanced between the rolls,

thereby to permit separation of the advanced length of toweling from the remainder of the continuous strip along the line of perforations defining the trailing end of the advanced length, and then to release the dispensing roll matically imparts an increment of reverse rotation'to the associated,dispensing'rollV after the rotation of the latter has Ibeen arrested so that, if a steady pull is exerted yICC 2 v upon the projecting end of the paper toweling strip, the increment of reverse rotation of the dispensing rollwill cooperate with the steadily exerted pull to ensure separation of lthe foremost length of paper toweling from the remainder ofthe strip at the weakened line of perforations defining the trailing end of that foremost length.

In accordance with the invention, a cam and springurged follower mechanism controlling the'rotation of the associated dispensing roll includes a spiral cam rotatable with the dispensing roll and increasing in radius in the direction opposed to the normal rotation of the cam with t-he dispensing roll, the cam having a generally radial shoulder joining the radially inner and outer ends of its spiral cam curface, a `follower pin engageable with the spiral cam surface and movable along a rectilinear path extending radially through the axis of rotation of the cam, the follower pin -being spring-urged toward said axis of the cam so that, as the latter is rotated during a dis- -pensing cycle, the pin is moved radially outward by the spiral cam surface, and an abutment rotatable with the spiral cam and having a stop surface that extends radially across the radially outer end of the spiral cam and is spaced circumferentially from the cam shoulder in the direction opposed to the normal cam rotation by a distance only slightly greater than the diameter of the pin so that,'at the end of each dispensing cycle, the stop surface of the abutment contacts the pin, which has previously been moved into the path of the abutment by the spiral cam surface, thereby` to arrest rotation of the cam and the associated dispensing roll, whereupon the pin is spring-urged radially inward between the cam shoulder and the stop surface to the radially inner end of the spiral cam surface where the pin clears the radially inner surface of the abutment to again free the cam for renewed rotation with the associated dispensing roll.

The above, and other, objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings yforming a part hereof, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a paper towel dispenser embodying the present `invention and taken along the line 1-1 of Fig.f2;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along 2 2 of Fig.` 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a detail view similar to a portion of Fig. 2,

the line .but showing the condition of the parts during another phase of the dispensing cycle;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a continuous strip of paper toweling of the kind to be dispensed by the paper towel dispeners embodying this invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the constructional details of a part included in the dispenser `of Figs. l, 2 and 3; and

` dispenser embodying the present invention, as there illusv for fu-rther rotation 1n response to a renewed pull exerted l vtrated and generally identiied by the reference numeral 10, includes a box-like cabinet or casing 11 that may be formed of sheet metal and has a back wall 12, a bottom wall 13 joined, at its rear edge, to the lower edge of the back wall, and upstanding side frame plates 14 and 15 Y that are spaced laterally inward from the side 'edges 4of Athe back and bottom walls and that have outwardly directed flanges along their back and bottom edges joined, as by welding, to the back and bottom walls, respectively. The casing 11 is completed by a hinged cover having a front Awall 156 connected, at its lower edge, to thefront edge of bottom wall 13 by a piano hinge 17 (F1g. 2) and having a height substantially less than that of the back wall 12 and being laterally coextensive with the latter, side walls 18 and 19 generally extending rearwardly from the opposite side edges of front wall 16 and, at their upper portions, projecting forwardly beyond the front wall above the upper edge of the latter, and a top wall 20 extending laterally between the top edges of side walls 18 and 19 and having a downturned forward portion 21 that depends to the level of the top edge of front wall 16 and is offset forwardly with respect to the latter (Fig. 2,)to deiine a discharge slot 22 between the top edge of front wall 16 and the bottom edge of the downturned forward portion 21 of top wall 20. As seen in Fig. l, when the hinged cover is in its closed position, the side walls 18 and 19 thereof extend parallel to, and

Vare spaced outwardly from, the adjacent side frame plates '14 and 15, respectively, while the back and bottom edges tending from the top of back wall 12. Normally, the

`ball catch 24 is urged upwardly by strip 25 into the opening 23 and holds the cover in its closed position. However, when the cover is to be opened to permit loading of a supply of paper toweling into the casing 11, Ias hereinafter described in detail, the ball catch 24 can be pressed downwardly from above and thereby released from -opening 23 to free the cover for forward and downward swinging movement about the axis delined by hinge "17.

The upper portion of each of the side frame plates 14 and 15 is formed with an L-shaped slot 26 (Fig. 2) hav- 'ing a vertical part opening upwardly at the top edge of the related side frame plate and a horizontal part extending forwardly from the bottom of the vertical part. The slots 26 of the side frame plates are adap-ted to slidably receive bearings for rotatably supporting parallel `'pressure and dispensing rolls 27 and 28, respectively,

between the side frame plates 18 and 19. For examzple, as shown in Fig. 2, the pressure roll 27 may include a cylindrical body 29 of wood having metal pins or axles 30 projecting axially from the opposite ends thereof vand rotatably received in bearings 31. Each of the bearings 31 is in the form of a disc having a diameter greater than the width ofthe related slot and formed with a central, circumferential groove of sufficiently reduced diameter to there t into the slot`26.

VThey dispensing roll 28 may similarly include a cylindri- "cal body 32 of wood preferably having a circumference equal to the length of each paper towel to be dispensed and provided with metal pins or axles 33 projecting 'axially from the opposite ends of the wooden body and vrotatably received in bearings 34 having the same gen- .eral construction as the bearings 31 and also slidably received in the slots 26.

Ininstalling the rolls 27 and 28 in the casing 11, the cover of the latter is opened to expose the open ends of the slots 26 at the ltop edges of side frame plates 18 along the latter until the surface of the pressure roll body 29 contacts the surface of the dispensing roll body 32.

The pressure roll 27 is urged forwardly against the dispensing roll 28 and the latter is, in turn, held in the position where its bearings 34 are against the forward closed ends of the slots 26, by tension springs 35 which, at their front ends, are connected to anchors or pins 36 projecting from the side frame plates 14 and 15 and, at their back ends, are removably looped around pins 37 projecting from the pressure roll bearings 31 (Figs. 1 and 3).

As seen in Fig. 2, the front ends of the slots 26, and, hence, also the axis of rotation of the dispensing roll 28, are disposed so that a vertical plane tangent to the roll 28, at the front of the latter, will extend through the discharge slot 22, whereby the paper toweling to be dispensed can pass upwardly between the rolls 27 and 28 and then downwardly around the latter to exit from the casing 11 through the slot 22.

The dispenser 10 is intended to dispense lengths of paper toweling from a continuous strip or web of the latter, as indicated generally by the reference numeral 38 on Fig. 5, and wherein the individual lengths 39 of paper toweling are defined .between laterally extending lines of perforations 40 that are spaced apart by dis- `tances equalto the circumference of the dispensing roll 28. The continuous strip or web 38 of paper toweling maybe wound into a roll 38a (Fig. 2) for storage within the casing 11, or, as indicated in Fig. 7, the continuous strip or web 38 can be folded in alternately opposed directions about the lines of perforations 40 and fold lines intermediate the latter to provide a folded stack 38h for storage within the casing or cabinet 11.

In order to support the roll 38a of paper toweling, the side frame plates 14 and 15 are provided with slots 41 (Fig. 2) extending downwardly and rearwardly from the front edges thereof to receive and retain the opposite 'ends of a support rod or core 42 on which the roll 38a 1s rotatably mounted. It has been found that the direct feeding of the paper strip from the roll 38a between the rolls 27 and 28 sometimes results in over-running of the roll 38a during the removal of paper from the latter, and that it is desirable to exert a drag or braking action on the paper strip 38 between the roll 38a and the pinch between rolls 27 and 28. Such a drag or braking action can be exerted by providing a rod 43 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) that is alternatively supported, at its opposite ends, in upwardly opening recesses 44 or 45 in the upper edges of the side frame plates 14 and 15. The recesses 44, which receive the rod .43 when the strip '38 is stored in the form of a roll 38a within the cabinet or casing 11 (Fig. 2), are disposed at locations in back of the vertical plane passing through the axis of pressure roll`27, While the recesses 45, in which the rod 43 is supported when the strip 38 is stored in the form of a dispensing roll 28. With the strip 38 passed around the rod 43 in themanner described above, it is apparent that relatively short (Fig. 2) or relatively long (Fig. 7) portions of the paper strip 38 moving ,in opposite directions are brought into frictional contact with each other against the surface of the pressure roll, thereby to exert a smaller or greaterl frictional drag upon the-strip 38 prior to the passage of the latter between the rolls 27 and 28. This frictional drag has proved to be effective in exerting an ironing action on the strip to prevent wrinkling of the latter between the pressure and dispensing rolls. When the strip 38 is stored in the form of a folded stack within the cabinet or casing`11, as

in Fig. 7, the inertia drag of the roll 38a of Fig. 2 is no longer present, and the rod 43 has to be arranged in the recesses 45 to provide greater areas of the strip moving in opposite directions and in .frictional contact 'with each other, thereby to correspondingly increase the frictional drag resulting therefrom.

The dispenser further includes mechanism for controlling the rotation of the dispensing roll 28 so that, at the end of each dispensing cycle, the rotation of roll 28 will be momentarily arrested, in a manner to cause separation of the strip 38 along a line of perforations 40 thereof, and then the roll will be automatically released for renewed rotation without requiring any manipulation by the user other than the natural and almost instinctive exertion of a downward pulling force upon the end of the paper strip projecting from the slot 38.

The control mechanism of the illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a cam member 46 (Figs. l, 2 and 4) in the form of a disc of the same diameter as the body 32 of roll 28 and secured to one end of the body 32, for example, by screws '47. The cam member 46, on its outer surface, has a spiral cam surface 48 (Figs. 2 and 4) which increases in radius in the direction opposed to the normal rotation of the cam member with :roll 28, which is indicated by the arrows 49, between .a radially inner end and a radially outer end connected by a substantially radial shoulder 50. The cam member 46 further has an abutment 51 projecting from its outer .surface land formed with a stop surface 52 at its leading end, considered in the direction of the normal rotation of the cam member. The stop surface 52 extends radially ywith respect to the axis of rotation of the cam member .across the radially outer end of cam surface 48 and is spaced from the shoulder 50 in the direction opposed to the normal rotation by a distance D (Fig. 4) which will hereinafter be deiined in detail. The inner edge 53 of the abutment 51 extends generally parallel to the adjacent portion of the spiral cam surface 48 and is spacedl radially outward from the latter by a distance that is approximately equal to the distance D.

The mechanism for controlling rotation of the dispensing roll 28 further includes a follower 54 having a `disc-like body 55 with a diameter greater than the width of the slot 26 in the side frame plate 14 adjacent the cam member 46. The disc-like body 55 has straight, laterally centralized grooves 56 cut in diametrically opposed portions of the periphery thereof (Fig. 6) and the distance between the bottom surfaces of the grooves 56 is slightly less than the width of the slot 26 so .that the follower 54 can be slidably engaged in the slot 26 of side frame plate 14 with the edge portions of `the latter along the slot 26 being received in the grooves 56 to prevent rotation of the follower. The follower 54 is inserted in the slot 26 of the side frame plate 14 "between the bearings 31 and 34 at the adjacent ends of the rolls 27 and 28 and has a pin 57 projecting axially inward from the body 55 for engagement with the cam member 46. The distance D, referred to above in delining the spacing of the surfaces 52 and 53 of abutment 51 from the shoulder 50 and the cam surface 48, respectively, is slightly greater than the cross-sectional diameter of the pin 57 so that the latter can move radially,

with respect to the axis of cam member 46, through the space between stop surface 52 and shoulder 50 and so that the inner surface 53 of the abutment 51 and the adjacent portion of the spiral cam surface 48 can pass the pin 57, at opposite sides of the latter, when the cam member 46 is initially rotated with the dispensing roll 28.

A tension spring 58 extends between an anchor pin 59 'projecting from the side frame plate 14 and an anchor Y:the horizontal part of the slot 26 inside frame plate 14,

6 that is, radially inward with respect to the axis of the cam member 46. .y j

Further, as is clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 4, the pin 57 of follower 54 has a notch 61 cut therein forv engagement with a corresponding tooth 62 formed in the spiral cam surface 48 to prevent reverse rotation o f the dispensing roll 28 after the forward rotation of the latter has proceeded to a predetermined extent during a dispensing cycle. The relative positioning of the Vtooth 62 along the cam surface 48 will be more definitely established in the idetailed description of operation of the dispenser 10 appearing below.

The pressure roll 27 and the dispensing roll 28 are constrained to rotate together, and to cease rotation together, by meshing spur gears 63 and 64 (Fig. 1) which are secured, as by screws 65, to the ends ofthe rolls 27 and 28, respectively, adjacent the side frame plate 15, and a spacing disc 66 is preferably provided on the rod 43 adjacent the side frame plate 15 to guide the adjacent edge of the paper strip 38 and prevent contact of the latter with the gears 63 and 64 during the passage of the strip 38 between the rolls 27 and 28 and then around the roll 28. The paper strip 38 is further guidedy by anl arcuate metal shield 67 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) that extends laterally between the side frame plates 14 and 15 and has tabs 68 (Fig. 3) projecting from its opposite ends to be removably received and supported in slots y69 formed in the side frame plates and opening generally forwardly at the top edges of the latter. The shield v67 extends parallel to the surface of roll 28 from the surface of roll 27 to approximately the vertical plane passing through the axis of roll 28 and is spaced radially outward from the surface of the roll 28 by a small distance to d'ene a thin passage 70 therebetween through which the paper strip 38 may pass. The shield 67 ensures that the paper strip 38, after passing between the rolls 27 and 28, will be directed forwardly around the dispensing roll 28.

Finally, the cover of the casing or cabinet 11 has a generally rectangular opening 71 (indicated in broken lines on Fig. 1) in the downturned portion 21` of the top wall to permit access to the dispensing roll 28 for directly eiecting rotation of the latter without requiring opening of the cover.

The above described dispenser 10 operates as follows.:

After loading of the dispenser 10, the cam member 46 is disposed as shown in Fig. 2 and the free end of the perforated strip 38 of paper toweling projects downwardly from the discharge slot or opening 22 of the cabinet 11, these conditions being normal for the start of a dispensing cycle. Thus, it will be seen that the cam member 46 is rotationally disposed, at the start of the dispensing cycle, so that the follower pin 57 engages, or rides against, the radially inner end of the spiral cam surface 48. Further, with the paper strip 38 and the cam member 46 disposed for the start of a dispensing cycle, the line of perforations 40 of the paper strip 38 immediately following the free projecting end of the latter is disposed below the pinch or line of contact between the rolls 27 and-28. Thus, when a downward pull is initially exerted on'the projecting end of the strip 38, as indicated by the arrow P on Fig. 2, there is no danger that this pull will cause separation of the strip 38 along a line of perforations 'within the cabinet 11.

The user operates the dispenser 10 merely by pulling downwardly, as indicated by the arrow P, on the projecting free end of the paper strip 38, which action is perfectly normal and almost instinctive, thereby eliminating any need for detailed instructions that must be studied by the user prior to operation of the dispenser. The downward pull P on the projecting end of strip 38V effects downward passage of the latter through discharge slot 22 and corresponding rotation of rolls 27 and 28. The cam member 46 rotates with roll 28 and the cani surface 48 of member 46 travels past the pin 57 to progressively urge the latter radially outward with respect to the'aXiS ofthe cam ymembenthat is, rearwardly along the slot 26 in opposition to the action of spring 58. The tooth 62 on the spiral cam surface 4,8r is disposed to engage in the notch 61 ,of follower pin 5,7 when the line of perforations 140 of strip 38 immediately following the free end .of the latter passes upwardly between the rolls 2'7 .and 28so that, in the event that the strip 38 thereafter prematurelyseparates along that line of perforations, the -notch 61 and tooth 62 will 4cooperate to prevent the reverserotation of roll 2S, by manual actuation of the latter through opening 71, to an extent sucient to move the free end of the strip below, or back through, the pinchbetween -rolls 27 and 28.

' Since the distance between the successive lines of perforations 40 on the strip 38 is exactly equal to the cir- .cumference of dispensing roll 28, the latter, and the cam member 46 will complete a Vsingle complete revolution .when .the `line of perforations 40 immediately following .the Afree end Yof strip 38 has passed .downwardly out of the cabinet to the position initially occupied by that free lend. kToward the end of a complete revolution of the y`cam member 46 the pin 57 will have been moved radially outwardby the outer .end of the spiral cam surface 48 into Athe path of the radial stop surface 52 of abutment 51. of strip 38 throughout the dispensing cycle to cause steadymovement of the strip and correspondingly steady rotation of roll 28 and cam member 45, the stop surface 52 `of abutment 51 will be moved against follower pin v5.7, as in Fig. 4, before the spring 58 has had an opportunityto draw the pin 57 radially inward between surface 52 and shoulder 50 to the position of Fig. 2, where the pin 57 does not interfere with rotation of cam member 46. Contact of stop surface 52 with pin 57, as in Fig. v4, .abruptly arrests rotation of cam member 46 and dis- Ypensing roll 28, and, by reason of the gears 63 and 64, also of pressure roll 27 so that the paper strip 38 pinched between the rolls 27 and 28 is positively halted, Since thepull P is being exerted upon the free end of the paper strip 38 when movement of the latter is halted in the mannerdescribed above, the strip 38 will separate along vthe weakened line of perforations 40 then disposed between the pinch of the rolls 27 and 28 and the pulled free end,.so that a length of paper toweling will come loose -in the users hand.

.It should be noted that the described arrangement of 'the follower pin 57 and the stop surface 52 of abutment 51 helps to promote the separation of the paper strip 38 at the end of a dispensing cycle. Thus, as the pin :57 is moved radially inward along the radial stop surface S2 by the spring 58, the'pin 57 causes a small increment of rotation ofthe cam member 46 and roll 28. Such radially inward movement of the pin 57 immediately fol- .lows its contact with the surface 52 so that the increment .of reverse rotation occurs almost instantaneously with the ,halt in rotation to increase the impact at the weakened line of perforations of the strip then disposed below the discharge slot 22.

'If the user desires to remove, in one piece, a section of the paper strip .38 having a length which is a whole rkmultiple of the .distance between the successive lines of 1perforations40, separation of the strip at any of the lines of perforations can be avoided merely by relaxing` or decreasing the pull P on the free end of the strip just before a complete revolution of the dispensing roll 28 has been effected so that, at the completion of a dispensing cycle, .the rotational speed of the roll 28 will be suiciently .reduced to permit arresting of the rotation, by contact ofgstop surface 52 with vpin 57, with animpact or deceljeration ,that istoo small to cause separation at the line y of perforations.

@When the pin 57 has been moved radially inward by kspring 58 through the passage vbetween shoulder 50 land stopV ysurface ',52,.and thereby returned to the, position of `jFig. f2 `against the radially inner end of spiral cam sur- ,If the pull P is exerted steadily upon the free end f ace 48, it will be apparent that the dispenser 10has completed a dispensing cycle and is conditioned for renewed rotation of the roll 28 without requiring any complex manipulation of releasing cranks andthe like, or any wait for the operation Vof time delay release mechanisms, as in existing paper towel dispensers. Thus, the dispenser 10 can 'be simply operated with one hand applying va downward pull directly to the projecting free end .of the perforated paper strip 38.

In the event that, during a dispensing cycle, the strip 3S accidently separates along a line of perforations disposed within the cabinet 11 between the pinch of rolls 27 and 2S and the discharge slot 22, the user can reach through the opening71 of the cover and manually rotate the dispensing roll 28 until the prematurely interrupted cycle has been completed and the free end of the paper strip again projects dovmwardly from the discharge slot. Then, normal operation can be resumed.

The operation of the dispenser 10 is the same whether the paper strip 38 is stored within the cabinet 11 in the form of a roll y38a (Fig. 2) or in the form of a folded stack (Fig. 7) and, in either case, a dispenser of relatively great simplicity, both in structure and operation, has been provided with unique operating characteristics, specifically, the possibility of dispensing either single lengths of paper toweling from a continuous perforated strip thereof, or multiple lengths of toweling from vthe same strip.

Although a particular embodiment Vof the invention has been ydescribed in detail herein and illustrated in the drawings, merely by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that particular embodiment, and that various changes and modifications lpaper toweling and havinga discharge slot through which a free end of the strip can be pulled for withdrawing the strip from said cabinet; pressure and dispensing `rolls rotatably mounted insaidcabinet in rolling contact with each other withsaid vcontinuous strip passing therebetween so that said rolls are rotated in response to withdrawal ofthe strip through said slot by a pull exerted Qn the free end ofthe strip,v said xdispensing rolllhaving a circumference equal to'the distanceY between successive lines of perforations in the strip of paper toweling s o that the dispensing roll vcompletes one full revolution during the withdrawal of Yeach paper towel through said discharge slot; meshinggear means on said pressureand dispensing rolls `to interrelate the rotational movements of said rolls and prevent longitudinal displacement v of said strip relative to said rolls; and mechanism controlling the rotational movements of said dispensing roll including a cam member rotatable with said'dispensing roll, a pin movable radially with respect to the axis of said cam member and spring means urging said pin radially toward said axis of the cam member, said cam member having van abutment projecting from its radially outer portion .normal rotationof the cam member so thatat the end of each full revolution of said dispensing roll ystarting from an initial position where saidinnerend of the cam surface engages said,pin,.said pin is moved radially out` wardinto the pathpf .Said abutment to ,abruptly halt seams rotation of said rolls and cause the pull exerted on the free end of the strip to effect separation of the latter along the weakened line of perforations closest to that free end, whereupon said spring means returns said pin radially inward between said shoulder and abutment to its initial position against said inner end of the cam surface where said pin again is radially clear of said abutment to permit renewed rotation of said rolls.

, 2. The combination according to claim l; wherein said abutment has a stop surface engageable by said pin after the latter has been moved radially outward by said cam surface, said stop surface extending radially with respect to the axis of rotation of said cam member so that, when said pin is moved radially inward by said spring means along said stop surface, an increment of reverse rotation is imparted to said cam member and to said rolls thereby to increase the impact on the pulled strip and promote separation of the latter at the line of perforations closest to its free end.

3. The combination according to claim 1; wherein said rolls are arranged within said cabinet so that the distance along the path followed by the strip from the line of rolling contact between said rolls to said discharge slot is less than the distance along the strip between the successive lines of perforations, whereby, with said cam member in said initial position, the strip can be arranged with its free end projecting from said discharge slot and with said rolls contacting the strip between its free end and the line of perforations closest to the latter, and, upon the completion of a full revolution of said cam member, the line of perforations along which separation of .the strip is to be effected will project from said slot and vsaid rolls will contact the strip between the line of perforations along which separation is to be effected and .the next line of perforations thereby to prevent the imposition of the separating pull upon the latter.

4. The combination according to claim 3; wherein said cam surface has a tooth projecting therefrom and said pin has a notch to receive said tooth and then prevent rotation of said cam member in the reverse direction beyond the rotational position where said tooth and notch engage, said tooth being disposed along said cam surface so that it is engageable by said notch after said cam member and dispensing roll have been rotated from said :initial position to an extent caused by withdrawal of the strip moving the line of perforations closest to the free end of the latter past the line of contact of said rolls.

5. The combination according to claim l; wherein said slot opens downwardly at the front of said cabinet and said dispensing roll is disposed relative to said slot so that a Vertical plane tangent to said dispensing roll at the front of the latter passes through said slot, and wherein said pressure roll is disposed in back of said dispensing roll and yieldably urged forwardly against the latter to grip the strip passed upwardly between said rolls and then downwardly over the top of said dispensing roll lprior to emergence through said downwardly opening slot;

and further comprising a rod in said cabinet parallel to said pressure roll and at a lever above the latter with said paper toweling strip passing upwardly in back of said pressure roll and over said rod from back to front, then downwardly in back of the pressure roll and under the latter prior to passing upwardly between the pressure and dispensing rolls thereby to bring oppositely moving portions of the strip into frictional engagement with each other against the pressure roll for applying a frictional drag tending to iron the strip before passage of the latter between said rolls.

6. A dispenser of the described character comprising a cabinet including back, front, top, bottom and side walls and side frame plates extending parallel to, and spaced inwardly from, said side walls, said cabinet having a downwardly opening discharge slot at the front thereof, each of said side frame plates having an L-shaped guide slot therein opening upwardly at the top edge of the rei0 lated frame plate and including, a horizontal portion exit tending above said discharge slot, a dispensing roll rotatably mounted in bearings slidably received in sai guide slots, a pressure roll in back of said dispensing roll and also rotatably mounted in bearings slidably received in said guide slots, spring means removably connected between said frame plates and said bearings of the pressure roll operative to urge the latter forwardly along said horizontal portions of the guide slots into rolling contact with said dispensing roll and to urge the bearings of the latter against the forward ends of said horizontal slot positions so that a vertical plane tangent to said dispensing roll at the front of the latter extends through said discharge slot, and mechanism bringing said dispensing roll to an abrupt halt at the end of each full revolution` thereof and then freeing the dispensing roll for renewed rotation through another full revolution.

7. A dispenser of the described character comprising a cabinet including back, front, top, bottom and side walls and side frame plates extending parallel to, and spaced inwardly from, said side walls, said cabinet having a downwardly opening discharge slot at the front thereof, each of said side frame plates having an L-shaped guide slot therein opening upwardly at the top edge of the related frame plate and including a horizontal portion extending above said discharge slot, a dispensing roll rotatably mounted in bearings slidably received in said guide slots, a pressure roll in back of said dispensing roll and also rotatably mounted in bearings slidably received in said guide slots, spring means removably connected between said frame plates and said bearings of the pressure roll operative to urge the latter forwardly along said horizontal portions of the guide slots into rolling contact with said dispensing roll and to urge the bearings of the latter against the forward ends of said horizontal slot portions so that a vertical plane tangent to said dispensing roll at the front of the latter extends through said discharge slot, and mechanism controlling the rotational movements of said dispensing roll including a cam member fixed on one end of said dispensing roll to rotate with the latter, a follower pin slidable between said bearings of the dispensing and pressure rolls in said horizontal portion of the guide slot in the frame plate adjacent said one end of the dispensing roll to move radially with respect to the axis of rotation of said cam member, and spring means connected between said pin and the related frame plate and yieldably urging said pin radially toward said axis of the cam member, said cam member having an abutment projecting from its radially outer portion, a spiral cam surface increasing in radius between an inner end spaced radially inward from said abutment by a distance greater than the diameter of said pin and an outer end which is radially crossed by said abutment, and a radial shoulder connecting said inner and outer ends of the spiral cam surface and spaced from said abutment by a distance greater than the diameter of said pin so that, at the end of a full revolution of said dispensing roll starting from an initial position where said pin rides against said inner end of the spiral cam surface, said pin is moved radially outward by said cam surface into the path of said abutment to be engaged by the latter for abruptly halting the rotation of the dispensing roll, whereupon, said spring means connected to the follower pin moves the latter radially between said shoulder and abutment to again engage sad inner end of the spiral cam surface and thereby free the dispensing roll for renewed rotation.

8. In a paper toweling dispenser having a dispensing roll that is rotated in response to withdrawal of paper toweling therefrom; mechanism for controlling the rotamovable toward and away from said cam surface, and

spring means yieldably urging said follower pin toward said cam surface, said cam surface having an initial portion spaced from said abutment with sufficient clearance therebetween to freely receive said follower pin and a final portion off-set relative to said initial portion and crossed by said abutment, said cam surface further having a shoulder between said initial and nal portions and spaced from said abutment to provide suilicient clearance therebetween to freely receive said follower pin so that, at the end of each full revolution of the dispensing roll starting from a position where said pin engages said initial portion of the cam surface, said pin is moved by said final portion of the cam surface into the path of said abutment to be engaged by said stop surface for abruptly halting the rotational movement of the dispensing roll, whereupon, said spring means moves said pin between said shoulder and stop surface of the abutment to again engage said initial portion of the cam surface and thereby free the dispensing roll for renewed rotation, said stop surface of the abutment being angularly displaced relative to the direction of movement of said pin when said stop surface engages said pin so that, during the movement of said pin by said spring means, an increment of reverse rotation is imparted to the dispensing roll.

9. In a paper toweling dispenser having a dispensing roll that is rotated by withdrawal of paper toweling from the dispenser; mechanism for controlling the rotation of said dispensing roll comprisingl a cam member rotatable With the latter, a follower pin movable radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the cam member, and spring means yieldably urging said pin radially toward said axis of the cam member, said cam member having an abutment projecting from its radially outer portion with a stop surface at the side of said abutment facing in the direction of normal rotation of the dispensing roll, a spiral cam surface increasing in radius, in the direction opposed to said normal rotation, between an inner end spaced radially inward from said abutment with a clearance therebetween sutiicient to freely receive said pin and an outer end which is radially crossed by Said stop surface and connected to said inner end by a radial shoulder spaced from said stop surface with a clearance therebetween sufficient to freely receive said pin so that, at the end of a full revolution of the dispensing roll starting from a position where said pin rides against said inner end of the end which is radially crossed by said st op surface and connected to said inner end by a radial shoulder spaced from said stop surface with a clearance therebetween sufficient to freely receive said pin so that, at the end of a full revolution of the dispensing roll, starting from a position where rsaid pin rides against said inner end of the cam surface, said pin is moved radially outward by Vsaid cam surface into the path of said stop surface to be engaged by the latter and thereby abruptly halt rotation of the dispensing roll, whereupon, said spring means moves said pin radially inward between said shoulder and stop surface to again engage said initial portion of the cam surface and thereby free the dispensing roll for renewed rotation, said cam surface having a tooth at a predetermined location thereon between said inner and outer ends and said pin having a notch therein to receive said tooth when the dispensing roll has been rotated to an extent bringing said predetermined location on the cam surface opposite said pin, said tooth and notch being operative, when engaged, to prevent reverse rotation of the dispensing roll beyond the position of engagement of said tooth with said notch after the forward rotation of the dispensing roll has progressed beyond said position of engagement?.

11. Paper towel dispensing apparatus comprising a cabin net having a downwardly opening discharge slot at the front thereof, a continuous strip of paper toweling stored insaid cabinet and having laterally extending, spaced apart lines of perforations therein defining individual paper towels between said lines, a dispensing roll rotatably mounted in said cabinet and located above said slot so that a vertical plane tangent to said roll at the front of the latter passes through said slot, a pressure roll rotatably mounted in said cabinet at the back of said dispensing roll and pressed forwardly into rolling contact with the latter, said strip passing upwardly between said rolls and then forwardly and downwardly over said dis- 'cam surface, said pin is moved radially outward by said cam surface into the path of said stop surface to be engaged by the latter and thereby abruptly halt rotation of the dispensing roll, whereupon, said spring means moves said pin radially inward between said shoulder and stop surface to again engage said initial portion ofthe cam surface and thereby free the dispensing roll for renewed rotation, said stop surface extending radially with respect to the axis of said cam member so that, as said pin is moved radially inward to again engage said inner end of the cam surface, the sliding of the radially movable pin upon the radial stop surface causes an increment of reverse rotation to be imparted to the dispensing roll.

l0, In a paper toweling dispenser having a dispensing roll that is rotated by withdrawal of paper toweling from the dispenser; mechanism for controlling the rotation of said dispensing roll comprising a cam member rotatable with the latter, a follower pin movable radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the cam member, and spring means yieldably urging said pin radially toward said axis of the cam member, said cam member having an abutment projecting from its radially outer portion with a stop surface at the side of said abutment facing in the direction of normal rotation of the dispensing roll, a spiral cam surface increasing in radius, in the direction opposed pensing roll so that a free end of the strip emerges from the cabinet through said discharge slot and can be pulled downwardly to withdraw the strip from the cabinet and cause corresponding rotation of said rolls, said dispensing roll having a circumference equal to the length of each of said individual paper towels, and mechanism controlling the rotation of said dispensing roll to abruptly halt the rotation of the latter and impart an increment of reverse rotation to said dispensing roll after a full revolution starting from a position where said free end of the strip projects from said slot and the next line of perforations is below the line of contact of said pressure roll with said dispensing roll so that the pull exerted von said free end will cause separation of the strip at said next line of perforations in response to said abrupt halt and reverse rotation, and then to automatically free said dispensing roll for renewed rotation.

12. Paper towel dispensing apparatus according to claim 11; wherein said continuous strip of paper toweling stored in the cabinet is in the form of a folded stack.

13'. Paper towel dispensing apparatus according to claim 11; wherein said continuous strip of paper toweling stored in the cabinet is inthe form of a roll, and further comprising means in said cabinet rotatably supporting said roll of paper toweling below said pressure and dispensing rolls.

to said normal rotation, between an inner end spaced 'y i radially inward from said abutment with a clearance therebetween ysuicient to freely receive said pin and an outer References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Birr Nov. 27,v 

